Cinna's Last Gift
by Dragons Quill
Summary: What if the Mokingjay outfit wasn't the last thing Cinna ever made for Katniss? What happens when the package appears on Peta and Katniss' doorstep? How did Katniss and Peta come back together after the war? How does Panem react to thier engagement? T for some sugestions and light language and the fact it is the Hunger Games and content related to it. R&R !
1. In the Midst

**Hello all in the fan fic community! I truly never thought I would be writing another fan fic for publication here, much less in a totally different realm than my normal Harry Potter fandom, but it would appear that I am happily incorrect. This is my first Hunger Games fan fic and I hope you all enjoy it.**

**I felt that there was just not enough at the end of Mockingjay to be satisfactory, and would love to expand upon it more. Perhaps someday I will actually write the long multi chapter fic I would like, but in the meantime, here is a little fic I dreamed up concerning Peeta, Katniss and Cinna. I felt that if he had the time and obviously the foresight to make the Mockingjay outfit that he would have strived to make and squirrel away different outfits that he felt Katniss should have. Sort of like life moment time capsules to be delivered to her when certain things had happened in her life. I figured that her wedding would be appropriate and that after the Quarter Quell, Cinna would have known that the wedding dictated by Snow wasn't going to happen and would have taken measures to make sure she got what he felt she deserved for her special day. **

**Hope you all enjoy my newest offering. And remember, reviews are the sustaining force for a fan fic writer, so please tell me how you felt about the fic at the bottom of the page. And yes, I am aware that I change tenses at least once in the fic. I used the appropriate tense for the situation(s) I believe. **

**Cinna's Parting Gift**

**Chapter 1**

**In the midst of things…**

It had really been quite an ordinary looking package that had been delivered to the front door that morning. One of many that had come recently in the weeks following our engagement. The real one this time, not tainted by the capital or Snow's orders and threats; thankfully dead these last three years. This was also among a great number of cards and other forms of appreciation and well wishing tokens sent to both Peeta and I from all over the Republic of Panem.

It would seem that in the three years since the revolution had ended, in the death and assassination of both Snow and Coin, (people seem to have forgotten that it was by my hand that they had been slain) that our general popularity had not diminished. Nor had time let their admiration for the star crossed lovers of District 12, dual Victors/survivors of the cruel Hunger Games or for the hero worship of the Mocking jay to be dampened. In fact it seemed quite the opposite. It was by sear lack of people to spare, the bleak emptiness of what remained of District 12 and surprisingly Haymitch running albeit drunken interference, but successful interference with the press, that the media had not been following her every move for the last three years.

Well, that was until the last three months, and it only looked like it was going to get worse before it got better, hopefully very soon. In some ways it was almost as if they were even hungrier for information after such a dry spell and general lack of information. I likened it to the gathering of carrion birds gathering at a fresh kill, just waiting for their turn to pick the bones clean. Peeta had chuckled quite a bit at that description one evening.

I had been returning home after hunting in the afternoon and the rain had just begun, first in a cold drizzle and then a freezing wintery mix. The press that had nearly encamped in the Victors Commons seemed intent upon not letting me out of the weather and feeding me the ends of all the microphones they had at their disposal. I had finally resorted to swinging a dead squirrel by the tail and actually whacking at least one camera man and three journalists before I was able to escape their clutches and into the house. They had dispersed soon after their pray had alluded them and the weather deteriorated.

They had since been kept at relative bay by the new lawmen that had replaced the Peacekeepers. It also helped that the leader of the lawman had been a fellow Seam kid who had seen action during the war and had gained himself a name in 13. All in all he was a good guy who tried to keep relative order and peace in his sphere of influence. The incident was now quite a source of entertainment especially when Haymitch had come over the next night drunk and insisted on reenacting the scene. That had been a good evening.

**Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. There will be more up soon and they will be longer chapters as this fic develops. This was originally a one shot, but when it reached over 12 pages I broke it up into three pieces. Please let me know how you liked this fic and drop me a line in the review box. And be aware, if you flame me, the flame will be deleted, right after I toast a marshmallow or two. Live Laugh Love. Dragons Quill**


	2. How It Came to Pass

**Well that did not take very long at all for people to read the first chapter of my little fic. I am so very happy and excited to have something back up and active since it has been such a long time since I have had anything decent to publish. I see all those lovely hits, but not many reviews, remember they feed me happiness! Perhaps I am a bit cautious about writing in a different ficdom than where I started originally and have hopes to have a positive reception here as well as where I started. **

**Well, anyways on to the story, this is how Katniss and Peeta ended up together. This is still pretty condensed, but much more expanded than what was in the book. I picked out a few specific times that I felt were the most important and moved the story along at a quick enough pace. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 23**

**How it came to pass… **

It had been a long hard road to recovery for both myself and Peeta. We were still so very broken, and in some ways I wondered if there was any way to be completely unbroken; if normal was something that we would ever be able to grasp or attain. It had been a very bleak first six months of my return to District 12, seeming to spend the first month waiting for Peeta to arrive back. Then spending the next five walking on eggshells, for whose benefit I am unsure, but eggshells none the less. We were both so broken that even though we somehow recognized we needed the other to heal, yet we were so unsure of the other. We were afraid that if we were to reach out to fast or maybe even if we did reached out at all, that we would break in our fragileness, either ourselves or each other.

At first we interacted three or four days a week, both looking haggard and generally drawn from our lack of quality sleep, alone. Then he began to come over for breakfasts and then I began to be invited over for dinners at his home, Greasy Sae deciding that switching it up would be better for the both of us. Some days were good, and some days were bad, and some days were very bad. Watching Peeta in a flashback was the hardest, but after running the first few times from them, I learned that my presence helped. I clung to his back, rubbing the spot between his shoulders and petting his hair, speaking comforting words and reminding him "Not real, Not real". After a flashback it would take me a day or two to get him to open up again and get him to trust himself enough to be near me again. Those had been some very bad days.

But the instances where the gripping depression and the flashbacks reached out to rend us and threaten to tear us back down into the deep abyss became less and less, especially as spring wore into early summer. Though truthfully neither of us seemed to have gotten a decent night sleep; we were still sleeping separately and in different houses. We both knew deep down the only way to chase away the nightmares was to sleep in each other's arms. But both of us were too scared or proud to admit that need to each other. It was actually Haymitch that had pointed this out to us, though how he had informed us, or at least me, of this was less than tactful.

"When are you actually going to get over yourself sweetheart?" He had asked one morning after he had joined us for breakfast, taking a long draw from a flask that smelled suspiciously of whiskey. Peeta had left earlier on some errand. I gifted him with a scowl that would have sent most sensible human beings scurrying out of my way. Haymitch was not a sensible human being and merely chuckled at my darkened mood. "I am your neighbors you know."

"And what does that have to do with anything?" I snapped at him.

"Everything." Haymitch said as if it did in fact explain everything. But upon seeming my continued scowl he elaborated after another draw. "In this heat everyone has their windows open and sound travels. Between the two of you, I don't get a decent night's sleep. If it isn't you screaming in terror in the dark it is him."

"We both know you don't sleep at night." I grumbled at him. But in my head I was piecing things together. It had not changed too much from when we came back from our first Hunger Games. We both had nightmares that would wake us up, and now even Peeta was sent into screaming terrors in the night as well as me.

"That is a moot point." He belched, after shoveling more food into his stomach.

"Than what is your point?" I asked as he broke into my thoughts and I gripped the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

"My point is that I know that you and him found a way to keep the nightmares away, or at least at bay. I may have spent most of the time drunk, but you both were in far better shape mentally and rested wise on the Victory Tour than I had seen you in the months since you arrived back home. And now after the war and everything else that has happened, you two are looking worse than you have in a long time from lack of sleep. Since neither of you have picked up my drinking habit, I suggest that you both find some way to reconcile back to each other sweetheart. Because neither one of you are doing a very good job of it on your own. Now if you don't mind I am going to be back at my home, and drinking myself into a stupor." With that he grabbed the last couple pieces of bacon from his plate and sauntered his way out the door and across the green towards his house.

It had still taken three weeks before anything came to be resolved, sort of. It had been an extremely hot and muggy day, but I had been out in the woods all day. I had gone early in the morning, while it was still dusk into the comforting embrace of the woods. I couldn't sleep anyways, so I might as well make myself useful. I had found myself back by the lake deep in the woods. I had shot a couple rabbits and a half dozen squirrels on the way and then a startled wild turkey that had been foraging in the fenced off area of strawberries. Setting my game aside I had foraged for various plants in the woods, both medicinal and food. Gathering berries and then katniss roots from the edge of the lake as the sun climbed higher and the day became over heated.

Finally in the afternoon I gave up all pretenses and stripped down and went spear fishing for the afternoon. By the time I had finished the sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon and I had a variable feast that hung from my belt and filled my game bag. I made it back to the fence just as the sun was beginning to set and trekked home in the dusk. I stopped by Greasy Sae's to drop off some of my catch and then went to Peetas house. I had been out later than I had intended and was surprised when I was met at the door by a frazzled looking Peeta, covered in flour and looking rather disheveled.

"Where have you been?" He asked in a worried tone, lines etched in his face that I had not seen in a long time. Then he stood back and looking at me, bow, quiver and game bag thrown over my shoulder and my face streaked with dirt.

"I was hunting. Where did you think I went?" I asked perplexed, he knew I went hunting.

"You were gone all day. You were not at breakfast, not at dinner. Nothing." He looked tired and worn, and worry clung to him like a second skin.

"Oh Peeta…" I said softly and reached out my hand to touch his jaw as he looked down at his shoes. His eyes glanced back up to mine as I was the first to reach out and initiate physical contact, hoping to sooth the muscles that clenched beneath his skin. He searched my eyes and face for a moment, what he was looking for I don't know, but he must have found it. "I woke early and decided to go hunting before breakfast. I guess I lost track of time." Why I was up early was left unspoken, but still understood none the less. "I am truly sorry for any worry that I caused you. Can you forgive me?" He reached up with one hand and laid it over mine on his jaw and leaned into it, letting his eyes close for a moment longer than a blink. He looked so tired and drawn.

"Come in. I have just pulled some cookies out of the oven." He said after a moment of staring back at me. I watched some of the tension flow out of his features. He took my hand from his jaw and grasped it in his own and drew me over there threshold and towards the kitchen.

My first impression of walking in to the house was that it was an inferno. How he kept going in the heat was amazing. Why he was baking on one of the hottest days of the year so far was a mystery to me, but then again baking and painting was for him what hunting was for me, a means of escape, from many, many things, or at least some sort of short term distraction. It would appear that he had been busy, there was a basket full of cheesy buns off to the side, at least three dozen sugar cookies in various states of iced decoration and I could smell some sort of fruit pie baking in the oven. I looked quizzically at him as I surveyed the kitchen in its ordered chaos.

"I felt the need to do something." He said a bit too stiffly. I merely nodded. He must have been quite worried to be putting that much heat back into his house. "Have you eaten yet?" he said after a moment of watching me survey the kitchen. I shook my head. "Well, then at least let me warm up something for you. Go put your game away and be back in ten, I will have something ready for you." He said tiredly looking around at the mess.

I nodded with a smile and left for my own house. I stored away my game and sorted out my foraging into separate bowls and put what needed to be kept cool in the fridge. Then I sprinted up the stairs and changed into something that was more suited to the muggy night and the inferno that was Peeta's kitchen, a pair of comfortable shorts and a tank top. Then I grabbed the bowl of strawberries as I headed out the door, to add my contribution to the meal. By the time I had made it back to Peeta's it was full dark and had been for nearly an hour, or more. As I entered to kitchen Peeta was just taking out the pie and the kitchen had been cleaned. The cookies were in a container and the basket of cheese buns sat in the center of the table.

"I brought us some strawberries that I gathered today." I offered with a small smile, showing him the medium bowl of the lush red fruit. He turned and smiled when he saw me.

"Thank you." He said. "Put them on the table and sit down." He motioned as he grabbed a bowl and filled it with stew from the pot on the stove and placed it down in front of me. He filled another bowl and sat across from me

The meal had passed pleasantly enough after they had both offered up their apologies and then moved to lighter things and how their days had gone. After the stew Peeta was in a much better mood and Katniss, warn from months of lack of sleep and her early day, as well as warm and well fed was beginning to get drowsy. But she did not refuse the offer of warm berry pie when Peeta offered it. With a smile that was beginning to come back to Peeta's face when he interacted with her, he told her to go sit on the couch and he would bring her dessert. She smiled back and obeyed, snuggling onto the couch before the empty fireplace.

Within five minutes Peeta swept in with plates with warm pie, vanilla ice cream, a sugar cookie and a hand full of strawberries as garnish. He was delighted to see the smile that lit up the room upon his arrival. Handing her a plate he sat down on the opposite end of the couch. Thinking this was too far away, Katniss moved to sit beside him, close enough to almost touch, but far enough that they had room to move. This was found to be relaxing and amenable to all parties involved.

After polishing off the pie the plates were set aside and Peeta encouraged her to lean against his shoulder as she began to feel the effects of sleep deprivation and a full belly. Before either one of them knew it they were both asleep and slept the whole night through. It had been both their first night of undisturbed sleep in many, many months.

After the first night, there had been some awkwardness, but within a week it was decided that if they ever planned on getting a good night's sleep that it was going to be together, and not apart. With some discussion it was decided that Katniss would move in with Peeta. He had already personalized and made his house into a home and he had far more things in his home than Katniss. She also felt that her home had too many memories and ghosts of those she had lost to have Peeta move in with her. So after a few trips across the green she was installed in Peeta's home. She did technically have her own bed room, a place where she could retreat when she felt the need or a flashback sent him reeling and he felt that space was needed.

Just as they did on the train during the victory tour, they slept in their clothes and all they did in the bed was sleep. That is all they could do. They were both still so broken that anything beyond sleep was laughable. They did not and could not go any farther than chasing the elusive good night's sleep together.

**Well I hope you enjoyed year one of Katniss and Peeta's relationship. This originally was going to be a one shot, but when it evolved into 10+ pages I split it up into three chapters. So that means the next chapter is the last. It will cover year two to the 'story present' and tell you all what was in the package that arrived in chapter 1. I know I had fun writing this and I hope you are all enjoying it. Please remember to o leave me a review they are the life blood for us fic writers who like to know that their work is like an appreciated. Reviews also help to inspire me to write more, so you never know, more reviews might mean more fics from me! Please Review!**

**I have also written another one shot called Mosaic that you can go read to pass the time before I post again on next Friday or Saturday. Hope you enjoy both Hunger Games fics I have written so far! Live, Laugh, Love. Dragons Quill**


	3. Beneath the Paper

**This chapter is dedicated to Legolas' Girl 31, my faithful reviewer. I would love to thanks her very much for her support. **

**Now on to the rest of the story, this covers year two, and what is in the gift sent by Cinna. I hope you enjoy it and it would be lovely to get a review. They make my day very enjoyable!**

**Chapter 3**

**Beneath the Papers… **

By the time the second year had rolled around they had managed to grow together enough to involve some physical intimacy, though it was still only kissing and some straying of hands. They had not fully consummated the relationship. That was still too much for their healing emotions to handle quite yet, and both were hesitant to bring up the suggestion for fear of how it might change the relationship, and break it if the other rejected them.

It was actually Haymitch who helped push them to the next level once again. "I thought this mentoring crap would be over once you left the arena." He had grumbled more than once in various stages of drunkenness. This usually left either Katniss or Peeta with a smile on their face, though it was not always shown to their mentor.

He actually asked off handedly one night at dinner why they just didn't make the whole thing official and be done with it. They were already a married couple at least in practice (despite their lack of physical intimacy- though he didn't exactly know that). This had left an awkward silence that hung pregnant in the air that night after he had mentioned it. It took them three days of troubled sleep to finally sit down over tea in the kitchen and discuss the possibility and the issue of possible children. It was decided that Peeta was allowed to pop the question but he felt he wanted to do so on his own, in his own manner. He wanted to make it something special for her, for them both.

And so it was on New Years, a few weeks later that Peeta had popped the question and Katniss has said yes, and they had both cried in each other's arms, over whelmed by the feeling of love and hope and a future that they had previously not even hoped to have glimpsed. They still had a long way to go to heal, but they would do so together and they would survive.

They had called all their living friends the next day and that is where the problems started. They had wanted originally a small private toasting with a few people. When they encountered Effie, this seemed to fly out the window as fast as they had told her. She then told Plutarch and then he called them and then, the media got involved. Lovely….

They wanted to originally throw a Capital wedding for them, but that was vetoed as Katniss was still confined to District 12, though she didn't seem to have a big problem with not going back to the Capital ever again. So it was decided and negotiated that they would have a largish, televised capital style wedding in 12. This was to 'help show the healing and rebuilding of the country,' and 'it shows that if you two can make it and marry that everyone else has a shot was well.' 'It will lift general moral' and her personal favorite (because it seemed so absurd), 'it will bring everyone closer together." Well at least she could make sure that everyone in the district would have enough food for at least one day. Even though things had not been as bad as they had in the past, it was still rough going as there was still a steady supply of people coming into 12 and rebuilding the infrastructure, it all needing to be supported as things were once again built from the ground up. The winters had not been easy, but they were certainly not as bad as some she had seen as a kid.

They were to be married in the middle of April; just as the snow was gone and the grass turning green again. And that was when the dandelions were due to begin blooming again. They were to be married in the meadow, despite the fact that it was a graveyard for all of the people who had died in the fire bombings. It was still the only wide open area big enough to house the media circus and the ceremony that was being planned, with much help from Effie who knew how capital weddings worked. Peeta and Katniss decided that they were going to have an extremely private toasting after the big party off to the side with the people that they cared for the most.

Once the news had gone out to the rest of Panam there had been an explosion of pandemonium, of a good nature. It really did seem to bond people together and bring general moral up as a whole. It also meant that there was a huge influx of mail to both Katniss and Peeta. Everyone it seemed wanted to help out, send wishes or some token to the star crossed lovers of District 12 and the Mockingjay.

It had become routine to get a cart full of packages with the arrival of each train, and as they were getting closer, it seemed that they had now increased to a steady two carts with each train of things people wanted to give them. It soon became apparent that they were not going to be able to keep everything that was sent to them and after the first cart load, it was decided that they were going to use Katniss's old home as a staging ground for it all. That way they could still move around in their living space and sort through what they were being sent. It just ended up making sense.

And so it was, on the second train from the capitol, that this package came to rest in Katniss's old home. It was one of the larger boxes that had come on the cart, wrapped in brown paper and string, very understated and not at all flashy and bright like many of the other packages. Also unlike nearly all other packages this was addressed solely to Katniss. As Peeta had rebuilt and reopened the bakery for the district, it fell to her lot to sort through and open most of the correspondence and tokens sent to them during the day, as the weather was not favorable to hunting, and they had enough food without for the time being.

This package was four feet long by two foot wide and a foot thick. Wrapped in brown paper and tied with simple twine. Nothing fancy or over done. Written in neat script was: _Katniss Everdeen, District 12 Victor, Fragile, Handle with Care_. Examining the box it was quite large for something so plain and yet when she picked it up it weighted no more than fifteen or twenty pounds. What could be so large and yet so light? Curiosity getting the best of her she cut the twine and removed the paper to reveal a large white cardboard garment box. Lifting the lid she saw layers of tissue paper with a large envelope sitting in the middle of the top. Picking up the envelope she saw that it was heavy and of a high quality paper, something that would be used for official business in the Capital. Breaking the wax seal on the back she pulled a few pieces of equally fine paper from the envelope and began to read.

_Dear Katniss Everdeen,_

_If you are reading this I would like to congratulate you on your most wonderful and magical day of your life. Believe me when I say, from my heart that I wish only your very best and most sincere happiness. I have only wished your very best for health and happiness from the moment I met you. I would also like to extend my deepest regret and great sorrow that this is the only way I can communicate with you now. As if you are the recipient of this letter it means that I am dead, likely at the hands of President Snow. Believe me when I say that I wish dearly that I could be present to be with you on this day, but as it stands I will offer what services I still can._

_Do not be sad upon receiving this letter, for I was well aware of what I was doing when I designed, modified and put you in certain ensembles. The anger and agitation that some of these outfits may have caused was many times fully intended, and I was aware that it would likely come back upon my own head. Fear not that you have caused whatever has befallen me. Just as you had your part to play in the rebellion, I had mine as well. Just as I hope and believe that you will have seen the work I have done for the Mockingjay, and that it has served you well as you stepped into that role; I hope this small token of my own devotion will help carry you most graciously as you step into a different role, that of wife and possible mother in the future. I hold out every hope that this missive is in relation to a certain blond haired young man from a previous game, though after the announcement of the Quarter Quell and what it will entail, makes this likelihood seem less and less likely. Although I am still betting on you, and him as well as I have seen you work so well as a team. If only one of you made it out of what is to come, alive, than believe me he died happy knowing you were safe._

_Peeta really did love you, more than life itself, I saw this in his eyes that first time you laid eyes on one another in the tribute parade, and watched it grow steadily with each meeting we had. I also saw that you loved him too, though you did not know it at the time. I truly hope you have found happiness together. It seems strange to be writing of a past that is still in the future from this writing, but I feel that you need to know this. _

_I know that if you are receiving this than you have found someone that you trust and admire and truly love, for I know that you would not marry any one that did not fit that description. I would also like to congratulate you on whatever head way was made in the ensuing rebellion. I am sure the world is a much better and safer world that it was before, if not immediately, but it will grow to be that way with time. I wish so very much that I could be there to see you off and see the glow of your eyes when you accept the man you love as your husband. But alas it is not to be. I give you my final parting gift to you, the wedding dress I know you would want and deserve on the day that you choose, not the bidding of the capital._

_Just remember I am still betting on you, Girl on Fire, Victor, Mockingjay ._

_With love,_

_Cinna_

There was a touch of gold eye shadow in the bottom corner and what almost appeared to be an old tear stain.

The paper was wet. Why was the paper wet? It was then that I realized I was crying and with that realization came even more tears. I had been standing beside the kitchen table where I would open and sort gifts, making notations of who, what and where for the obligatory thank you cards to be sent out. I sank to the floor clutching the note to my chest as cried, a wail of many emotions escaping as a flood of memoires came over me. Cinna comforting me and coaching me during my first game, the beautiful dresses he made for the victory tour, the amazing array of dresses he had made for the capital wedding that Peeta and I were to be forced into. The last time I saw him, bloody and dragged out by the peacekeepers while I could do nothing to help. My amazing Mockingjay outfit, what I always believed was the last thing he had ever made for me. The amazement of reading this letter written by another ghost from my past, another killed for being associated with me, but a small comfort to know that he already seemed to know he was going to die, and yet still wanted to be part of my life until the end.

I don't know how long I was on the floor, clutching the letter to myself, my arms wrapped protectively around my torso, as if I was trying to comfort myself as my body was wracked by heart wrenching sobs. But presently I felt strong arms encircling me and the warm comforting smell of Peeta bringing me back to the here and now. He was clutching me close, comforting me as he always did when I woke in a nightmare. Looking up I saw the pain and confusion in his eyes seeing me in such a state. Seeing his pain made me cry harder and clutch him back as he situated himself on the kitchen floor more comfortably and drew me into his lap.

"What happened?" he asked between soothing whispers and sounds as he stroked my back and I tucked up under his chin, sobs now little more than hard breathing and sniffles. "How can I help you? I hate to see you in such a state."

"It's Cinna." I whispered back. "It's Cinna."

"Your stylist from the games?" he asked confused. "But he did not make it out of the rebellion alive. How can he be causing you so much distress now?" He stroked my chin and brought it up so that he could look into my eyes. "Are you having some sort of flashback yourself? You are under too much stress; we will have someone else sort through this so you have less to worry about. We can call Dr. Aurelius about this in the morning, perhaps he can help too."

"No, no." I croaked, brining my hand to brush the bangs from his eyes. "That won't be necessary. I… I just was surprised by one of our gifts. This is not bad." I kissed him softly on the lips. "Here.' I told him, retrieving the letter from the floor where it had been discarded as I had been gathered into his lap. "This should help you understand. Please. Read it."

Peeta looked as if he didn't believe that anything good come from what had caused my emotional release not long before, but obliged me and read what I handed him. I know I now felt better after the cry. It was almost the same as when I had finished Cinna's page in the memory book. It had been hard, but it had also brought a measure of healing.

I watched as Peeta read the letter and I also saw tears well in his eyes. He looked back at me, silent tears running down his face as he set the letter aside. It was my turn to hold him to my chest as he cried. Hot tears wetting my shirt but I didn't care, it was his turn to have comfort.

"He really was amazing." Peeta said after a few minutes, pulling back to look at me. I knew he had a way with cloth, but he also seemed to have a way with words as well." I nodded. "You really don't understand the power you have over people." He shook his head with a small smile creeping out from behind the tears, leaning into me for a kiss. "You have had many admirers, and those willing to die for you and you have hardly noticed. I feel honored that you noticed me."

"I have never wanted nor sought such attentions or admirers." I said.

"That's what makes you that much more alluring. That you don't even know that you're doing it."

"And Peeta. I more than just noticed you. I chose you, I want you, I love you and no other. I may not have always known it myself, or even admitted to it when I finally did. But you are my only choice. You are my boy with bread. My baker, my painter, my rock, my dandelion in the spring. Don't ever sell yourself short."

In response to my declaration he pulled me in for a heated kiss, tears springing anew from both of us. We parted shortly after and he tucked me back to his chest. "I love you Katniss Everdeen, and I always will."

Sometime later we both rose off the floor. I carefully placed the letter back into the box and put the lid on. I would look at the contents the next day when I was alone so that it would be a surprise for Peeta. We went back to our home and when it was time for bed I was surprised when the night mares did not come. Though Cinna did come to my dreams that night, it was not to accuse as I had feared, but with a smile, a hug and words of comfort and encouragement as he had done before each of my games. And on that night I was able to let him go. One less ghost to haunt my dreams.

The night of the wedding, after our private toasting and the guests had gone back to the revelry in the meadow Peeta and I made another addition to the memory book even though it was very late. Together we placed the letter and the sketch of the wedding dress by Cinna's hand in the book behind the page we had made for him already. We would create another page for him later, but somehow it felt right to put these things in our book before we did anything else, fresh tears within both our eyes.

Once we closed the memory book and had put it aside Peeta gathered me into his arms. "Come Mrs. Mellark, there are other things to attend to now." He said with a husky tone I had not heard from him before. Looking up I saw his eyes held a fire that I know was reflected in my own and the clouds of love and lust floating through.

"Yes, yes there is." I said in an equally husky tone, with a great big smile that I could not contain. I pulled out of his arms and grabbed his hand, leading him out of the door and towards the stairs. He surprised me and scooped me up in his arms and carried me up the stairs into the master bedroom suite. Closing the door with his prosthetic leg he carried me to stand beside the bed where he put me down. Looking deep into each other's eyes we kissed and caressed, letting the fire build between us until it consumed us both.

Before the night was through one final gift from Cinna was viewed and then placed aside as passions grew. Beneath the dress there had been found another article, beautiful tasteful lingerie that was fit for a Mockingjay, the Girl on Fire and her husband. It would be brought out more than once in the future. always a sweet reminder of an old loving friend and of new beginnings to look forward too.

**Well, that is it. I hope you all enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it, the first of my Hunger Games fan fics. Perhaps I will write some more sometime in the Hunger Games fandom, I certainly enjoyed playing with these characters. There is much that can be done with theses two. Leave a review to tell me what you thought. Live, Laugh, Love. Dragon's Quill**


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